Pontiac Transportation Center officially open for business

The Michigan Department of Transportation dedicated Pontiac’s new transportation center Monday, a 4,500-square-foot facility that will serve Greyhound and Amtrak passengers, and includes stops by the local bus service SMART.

MDOT broke ground on the new $1.4 million facility in July 2010 at 51000 Woodward Avenue in Pontiac.

There are six daily trips by Amtrak to and from Detroit and Chicago.

“This is an investment in the city of Pontiac and an investment in public transportation,” MDOT Director Kirk T. Steudle said.

Amtrak Board Chairman Tom Carper said the facility provides “the connections between modes that travelers need to make it a relevant travel option.”

Also participating in the dedication of the facility were U.S. Rep. Gary Peters, D-Bloomfield Township, and state Rep. Tim Melton, D-Auburn Hills, whose district includes Pontiac.

According to Amtrak, 16,000 people used train service in Pontiac in fiscal 2010 and passenger traffic is expected to be higher this year.

Besides a station for Amtrak, Greyhound will also have a presence with two buses daily from the facility and up to eight buses on the weekends.

Steudle, the MDOT director, also announced a $4.2 million maintenance agreement with Norfolk Southern Railway, which is expected to restore train speeds to 60 mph later this year in preparation for higher speeds later.